Ŧңз Ŋεχт Cђαртзґ
by Kyla Swann
Summary: Zelda has fallen. The Hylians weep. Help is hard to imagine or even glimpse. Yet ...  Never judge before you have experienced, help is never too far into the horizon. Just maybe not as expected.  Hyrule will never fall for long.
1. Ғд׀׀іŋg

**:::Disclaimer::: I do not own anything you recognise =D**

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><p>The first thing she noticed was the chandeliers. The grand golden lights, crafted from the very best metal workers throughout the whole of Hyrule, each weighing over a tonne each, she noticed, that some were missing. How on earth the brutes had managed to remove them from the ceiling she had no idea, but a few still remained, although at awkward heights, as if somebody had attempted to lever them off the stonework and failed. Failed miserably. They were not lit, so the room was bathed in a dark eerie mist, and you could not see far in front of you. Zelda found herself squinting through the dimness, not a very ladylike manner indeed.<p>

'Stop pulling that ridiculous face and smile for Din's sake!' She was thrust forwards harshly, and found herself with her arms splayed out across the floor, the rips and tears in her gloves obvious to her now. She lay upon the cold floor between the two highest balconies of the five, flanking each side of the enormous door-arch. Upon the three lower balconies swarmed bublins and creatures of the suchlike, all grinning evilly at her through blackened and yellow teeth, their slitty eyes bright with malice. In their greasy little fingers they clutched crude wooden clubs of various sizes, some with sharp-looking spikes, others just plain cracked wood. What had happened to Ganondorf? What had happened to the order of his evil schemes, his perfect shining army? Everything seemed botched together, lifeless and limp, a halfhearted attempt at oppression. Oddly, she missed the dark days of Ganon.

'Zelda. Wench, witch, and temptress of Hyrule!' The voice was cracked and hoarse, and Zelda scanned the room with empty eyes searching for the source. She found herself searching in the wrong place, and earned herself a hearty slap.

'Face the king! Stand when he addresses you!' She was thrust forcefully to her feet, and her head was cracked round so her gaze met with that of a man, no woman, no . . . _thing_ she had never seen before. A dark figure stooped, hence her search missing it the first time, barely above the creatures perched around it, with black flowing robes covering its whole body. Just visible beneath a drooping hood were two very distinct red eyes, easy to glimpse even though Zelda stood so far away in the emptiness.

'Do you answer to this name witch?' The voice was not masculine . . . but definitely not feminine. It was hard to describe, the tone highly strung, yet oddly sounding as if it were dying. A hard poke in Zelda's back made her reply.

'I address myself as Zelda. Nothing more.' Another poke. 'Your . . . grace.' There was much commotion among the creatures, large bangs of cubs hitting the stone of the balconies, and Zelda winced for her stone's well being. It took a moment to remind herself that it no longer belonged to her.

'You are guilty of many crimes. Too many to list at this precise moment, however, what irks me most I must say, is the fact that for five years, five whole years you made the people of this land address you as one of royalty! You stole the crown from the rightful heir of Hyrule, and for that you shall be severely punished.' More club banging and grunting. 'Do you plead guilty?' So this was a trial was it? An unfair trial on accusations that did not reflect the truth. A sickening feeling entered her stomach as she realised that the creatures were the jury.

The guard to her left looked as if he was about to poke her again, and Zelda was tired of the constant addition of bruises to her body. So, with as much dignity as she could muster, gathering her soiled and dirtied skirts around her and straightening her bodice, she spoke.

'I believe you are viewing the facts through the wrong eyes.' Poke. 'Your grace.' It was a curt but polite reply. Zelda felt almost proud of herself, until she realised that this meant little in the balance of power.

'The accused does not answer the question. Therefore it has pleaded guilty.' Zelda frowned at her new apparent title as an 'it'. 'Sentenced to life in imprisonment, subjected to embarrassment and humiliation in front of my people, and great painful suffering. All those in favour make a noise now.' Zelda prayed to the Gods for silence. But today they were not listening. The entrance hall was soon filled with thousands upon thousands of screeches and grunts, and they echoed menacingly around the walls.

Silence flittered through the crowd as the dark figure raised a hand from under its robes, at least she thought it was a hand, and began to rise in height. It rose and rose, until it stood a good head and shoulders of height of the creatures, and tears caught in the corners of Zelda's eyes as she realised what was shining upon its dark and mottled skin. The entire room was bathed in a glorious golden glow, emitting from three small triangles upon its crude hand . . . the TriForce of Wisdom. Zelda's emblem. Shining there on this creature's hand. Zelda shut her aching eyes and wept.

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><p>A smile crept across the young man's face as he slunk ever so slowly along the wall, his leather boots making no noise against the dirtied stone. Man this place looked different. What the Din had happened to the magnificence that reigned here when Zelda was up on the throne? Actually, he thanked the absence of light from the ceiling, giving him his cover of darkness to creep through. He gazed through wide eyes as the young Princess lay slumped on her knees weeping. Evidentially he had just missed something crucial, and he cursed himself for his lateness.<p>

He inched closer and closer, willing Zelda to open her eyes and glimpse him, but she didn't. Instead the guards to her sides yanked her harshly to her feet, and frog marched her back through the doorway he had just crept through, under the colossal archway and out into the stinging biting rain outside. He thrust a fist into his mouth to stop him crying out as he witnessed the slicking of her skin under the guards' blades, and small tears gathered in the corners of his eyes. Poor, poor Zelda. Slowly but surely the crowds of evil creatures retreated through the doors on their elevated perches, until he found himself alone in the sparse room.

He waited a couple of minutes more just to be sure that everyone had gone, and then he smiled. Smiled at the cleverness of his former leader, how she had the stairway chiselled down until it was left as just a mounting block for horses, so all the balconies around were only reachable from the higher floor. He smiled at the thought of the secret doorway she had carved in the smooth stone around the back of the castle, and how these dismal excuses for beings had never found it. Instead choosing to enter the castle up a wooden ladder and through a broken window. How dignified. But that was not why he was here. He muttered to himself to focus.

Carefully, he removed a metal contraption from his belt and fixed it onto his hand, it clicked softly as it slid into place, and he aimed at one of the rusted light fixtures upon the ceiling. As he whizzed silently through the air, he winced as his destination swung creakily and alarmingly far from side to side. All the diamonds clinked against each other with each swing, and the young man feared discovery. But no one heard the noise from behind the thick oak doors, and he let out his breath slowly. He clawshotted to the next gleam of gold and dropped effortlessly onto the middle balcony, the one that his new 'ruler' had occupied only moments before and sighed. This was not an easy job.

Having lived in the castle almost his entire life, he knew its secrets, or at least knew some of them, and he also knew that the idiot who had stolen Hyrule had absolutely no idea about this one. Removing his sword from its sheath, he swung it around his head with force so it smacked the stone with great force. Again he feared discovery, but again nothing. After all the castle was a public place, with the residents encouraged during Zelda's reign to visit as often as they could to take in the splendour of the place. Well, the once splendour of the place. Most of that had gone now.

The stone cracked under his silver blade, and he gently pushed it, with as much caution as he could until he had made a young-man-sized hole. He slipped quickly inside, doing his best to replace the stone by the light of his little lantern. The effect was good. Now it just looked scarred, as if someone had damaged it many years before. He doubted anyone would notice.

He began to ran through the passage in the wall, fearing all the time for the oil level in his lantern, counting the lines in the stone as he went, until he though he had found the right place. Hoping with all his heart he had not miscounted, once again, he smashed his trusty weapon into the wall until the stone winced and caved in under the force of the blow. He jumped lightly into the room beyond, a grin lighting his face as he realised that the lock on the door opposite him had not been cracked, and everything in the area had stayed just as he had remembered it. Although coated in dust nonetheless.

He had managed to gain entry to the bedroom of the great Princess Zelda. He scooped as much items as he could making for more personal items. Her sewing, a small light dress from her personal wardrobe stores, which were huge and containing many duplicates of the same outfit, a pair of shoes and some writing equipment. In her vanity he found something that looked like her diary, and a sharp looking dagger. Scouting around the room for anything else he could bring, he spotted her engraved chest. It was a beautiful elegant thing, made for her by the Zoras of the Zora's Domain, crafted lovingly and carefully, many years work going into its smooth and shining wood. He easily flicked open the lid, having a light touch with locks, not that it had been a hard one to crack, it was more for show than for purpose, revealing stores of many little bottles. They glowed all different colours, and some even moved, he shuddered at the thought of what could have been under those stoppered corks. HE flicked a few essentials into his bag, and thinking of being nice, he added a couple of Zelda's scents. She'd like that he hoped.

And then with a bag bulging and threatening to split at the seams, the young man hurried back the way he had come.

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><p>A chink of light. Could it be? A glimpse of the outside world? But no. It was the mere glow of a little lantern in the passageway beyond her door. She had been here since the so-called 'trial', and the boredom was beginning to seep in. She longed to be sewing or reading, or maybe even dancing with her sword, anything but this hateful darkness. That was the cleverness you see, the darkness, the dimness, designed to make her lose her mind in here, cut off from her friends, her subjects, but she refused to lose it to that weird being that called itself her leader.<p>

Again. The chink of light. That was strange, she could just peek it from the tiny gap under the great oak door, as if someone was running up and down the outside corridor looking for a certain cell. Zelda had no idea if she was the only prisoner, so she guessed that if someone was going to be rescued it wouldn't be her. No one knew she was here but the hateful guards and the ridiculous ruler. Then to her surprise the door began to creak open, slowly but surely, spilling the glorious light into her dim cramped cell.

'Zelda.' A young man's voice, a voice she did not recognise. Her heart sunk. It wasn't Link. A slight figure slipped through the doorway clad in shining silver chainmail, a few pieces of equipment similar to Links fastened tightly into his belt, and a bulging bag upon his shoulder.

'Princess, quick! With me! Put this on!' he thrust a garment at her, and Zelda's eyes widened visibly. It was one of her undergarments from her bedroom. How on earth had this man obtained them? They looked dirty, then it hit her. It was a perfect disguise. There was no way she would be recognised wearing these items, the whole of Hyrule was used to seeing her clad from top to toe in finery, and there was no way she could ever gain a new outfit from inside this cell. The prospect of freedom was tempting, glinting, but she shook her head the newcomer. He smiled as if he expected her reply, and held out her sewing project of the phoenix, then her scent bottles, and her expensive terino dagger. Zelda's face lit up, and she almost jumped into the man's arms. But remaining her dignity, she stood to her full height, which was similar to that of the man's and once again, shook her head.

'Have I seen you before? I recognise your face.' It was pointed with purple eyes, and light brown hair similar to her own flowing loosely around his shoulders. He was handsome, but his features almost feminine, a pointed chin and high cheekbones.

'You may have seen me in your palace. I have worked under you as a courtier since I was nine years old.' Nine years old? That was incredibly young to enter her service. He looked at her meaningfully as if he was trying to portray something with his steady gaze. Then it hit her like a tonne of bricks.

'How old are you now, tell me.' It wasn't a question, it was a statement. Zelda needed to know the truth.

'I am nineteen your grace.' Zelda now knew all she needed to know. A smile crept across her delicate pale lips, and she took her long lost brother into her arms.

'It saddens me to see you alive. Tell me. Why did you fake your own death only to return in my service as a courtier? I missed you, Darnell.'

It felt good to be in her arms again, his loving and caring sister, and it was as if years of pain and hurt just melted away. When he had sat and watched with wide eyes as she had wept by his grave, her constant sadness of his loss heavy upon her shoulders day and night, but he had done what he had needed to do. What he was meant to do. He had persuaded Link that he could not part with his sister forever, and the great swordsman had agreed to let him apply as a courtier, putting in a kind word to the head of the servants so he could be let in at such a young age. He was never recognised, his hairstyle changed and his face dirtied by soil. No one expected to see the young prince again, less expected to see him working as a courtier, so no one inspected his cover. He had his name changed, a life story invented for him, fake documentation stating his date of birth and his parents, who had died in an unfortunate fire shortly after his birth. No. No one expected to see the young prince again. The young man he now was, unrecognisable from his past, except of course, by his only sister.

'My gosh. This is so strange. You being with me the entire time I sobbed over your death. You have put me through a lot, but you are forgiven. And I must apologise to you.' Darnell looked at her quizzically, squinting under his long floppy fringe. 'But I cannot come with you. I am here for my people. My blood rushing through my veins is the only thing keeping them going, the thought that I am still alive. If I leave here, then my disappearance will be made to look like my death, and my people will lose hope and cave in to this new force of power. I cannot come with you.' She sank with a heavy heart onto a nearby hay bale, holding her head in her hands. She looked so pitiful, much older than her twenty-three years, old age seemed to scar her face.

'But! No! What if we made some gesture to the people that you had escaped? Dress you up in your finery again, rode you on a horse through the streets?'

'Only to be tackled by those brutes of guards and slaughtered in front of my people? I don't think so Darnell.' Her brother frowned and paced the room in annoyance, running a shaking hand through his flowing hair.

'We will think of something! I assure you! There must be a way! I shall call on the resistance to be your bodyguards and hold off the idiots whoa re trying to keep you here. It is possible!' Zelda flapped her hands in an effort to lower his raised voice.

'Sshh! Someone will hear you!'

'Well they might as well! All the trouble I've gone to, to get you out of this hellhole, blown my cover, broken the oath I swore to Link to never tell you my identity! You know I faked my ending so you could have the throne! Did you know that? Father wanted a boy you know Zelda. He was going to have you carted off to some foreign country to work as a milkmaid, just so Hyrule could have a king instead of a princess! For a woman can never rise above the title of Princess in this land. A woman can never be a king.' Darnell took several deep breaths after his outburst, casting Zelda a deep look straight into her eyes. 'Just you being here makes my sacrifice a waste of time. They are going to slaughter you sooner or later, and then what will your people have? Nothing! Zelda look, I am going to make sure that they know you have escaped. They will see it as a good sign and be happier and . . . stuff yeah look you see?' Zelda sighed. As much as she knew she couldn't leave, she had to go. There was nothing she could do.

'Fine. I shall accompany you. But I shall warn you. I value my people above my life.'

'I know. I have worked under you for ten years.' This fact scared Zelda a little. Her brother had been with her all her life, and she had never suspected a thing.


	2. Đΐѕαррεαґαηсε

**:::Disclaimer::: I do not own anything you recognise =D**

**Are my chapters too long? O.O I don't know, I can only hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! And many thanks to TwilightQueenMidna! Your review made me grin from ear to ear! =D and now my parents think I'm very very strange XD**

**Anyway, enough waffle! Enjoy!**

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><p>The doors flew open with a large BANG as they slammed into the stone either side of their frame. There was a loud cry of 'HIIIIYYYAAAAAHHH!' as a green clad figure burst through the open doorway sword first. It was a very impressive display, too bad that there was no one inside to see it. Link sighed and re-sheathed his sword, feeling every bit the fool. The room was dim and sad looking, completely devoid of the life that had echoed around here during Zelda's reign. And so, he was the third human to enter this entrance hall that day. And just like the other two, he was saddened by the rankness of the room, the chandeliers etcetera, and he stopped to catch his breath in the obvious change. He wondered if it was even worth clawshotting onto the sad looking chandeliers in pursuit of Zelda, he could guess where she was and it wasn't here. He had hoped to interrupt her trial full swing and whisk her away from the evils on the back of Epona, and charge her through the streets of Hyrule Castle Town to the cheering of the people. He saw that no such thing was going to happen today.<p>

With annoyance he randomly chucked a bomb in front of him and smiled as the familiar smell of smoke entered his nostrils. It was comforting, and for a moment he thought he had cracked the floor, but it was just the black scorching of the fire. He hastily scrubbed it out with his boot, feeling insanely guilty. Why had he done that?

'So. You have come. You disturb my slumber with your petty useless weapons.' Link's head shot up, making him wince with the fastness of the motion. Upon the balcony above his head stood The Ruler. His or her black robes billowing in the impossible wind, a dark aura somehow flittering through the thousands of folds of black and gold spangled fabric. The figure was short . . . but that could have been due to the stooping of its frame. It seemed like it found it possible to stand straight, as if it were very, very old. But then suddenly, him or her began to rise . . . higher and higher . . . until it stood long and thin, the size of a normal human. Then, it rose what Link supposed was a hand into the hair and he felt a golden glow eclipse him, bathing him in a glorious shining entity that was almost warming.

And then he realised what was glowing.

A TriForce.

Not just any TriForce. His TriForce. The TriForce of Courage.

Link felt the lights in his eyes dim, and a sharp pain in his skull.

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><p>After much discussion Zelda and Darnell had opted for a carriage. It was still raining, as it always did, the large dark heavy drops plopping down in an endless stream. The rains had come as soon as Zelda had fallen, and never left. Hyrule was now susceptible to flooding, the waters even then were ankle deep upon the cobbles of the streets, the water brown and murky with mud. Darnell, being the indoor courtier that he was, did not particularly want to make a getaway in the sodden rain. Zelda however was uneasy about the whole carriage idea. Carriages were slower than just pure horses, and if they had to make a dash for it, they did not possess the speed they would need for a clean getaway.<p>

And so with a heavy heart the Princess ascended the carriage steps. She took her seat and sighed with comfort. This was the best she had felt in days, she had washed her hair and changed into the clothes Darnell had brought, and so, dressed as paupers they had crept out of the dungeons in the perfect disguise. It had all seemed so easy, yet the so-called Ruler knew little of the Castle's secrets and had no idea about the secret passageways in the walls or the small entrances dotted about the castle perimeter. And it definitely did not know about the underground passage that led to the stable yard, and Darnell's bow had made short work of the unintelligent bublin guards.

And so they had easily soothed the horses, reigned them up and attached them to the state carriage, all in under half an hour.

It all seemed too easy.

The clipping of the horses' hooves against the cobbles seemed eerily loud and obvious, yet no one came to stop them, and they slipped silently out of the castle grounds and into the town.

The people were used to seeing carriages leaving the Castle, but something seemed . . . different about this one. It was the royal state carriage, yet the horses were not draped in their finery, and it was in far too much of a rush to be on a state visit. Plus, there was no reason that The Ruler would want to leave the castle, knowing that he or she had everything they needed inside its strong walls. And so, the people of Hyrule Castle Town followed the carriage with odd uniformity, traipsing through the muddy waters with such haste that it splashed them above the knee. Murmurs rippled through the crowd like waves upon the sea, was it the Princess? Was it The Ruler? Was it the renowned swordsman Link? Someone started shouting 'Long Live The Princess!' And soon this was a common theme outside the wooden box being pulled by the strong nonchalant beasts.

Inside the box however, was complete silence. Or at least there had been at the start. They had been too busy. Zelda had spent the past ten minutes doing her hair up back in her trademark royal style, tying endless lengths of ribbon through her silken locks, until it lay in perfect place. She looked defiant, but not royal.

'Zelda . . . your crown! They took your circlet!' Zelda's eyes widened as she cottoned on to Darnell's train of thought. Her people, they would not believe she was her! She cast a gaze across herself and realised how ridiculous she looked in her pauper's disguise, a simple linen gown with the minority of embroidery, and her flat creased peasant shoes.

'Darnell, what other clothes did you bring?' She questioned, worry crossing her features. Their plan was so risky that there was a very small chance that it would succeed.

'Well. . .' Darnell replied tugging at his collar with his fingers.

'My whole wardrobe of finery and you didn't bring a single one? Darnell!' She knew she mustn't loose her temper. She had only just found her brother and an argument was not what she needed.

'Well . . .' Darnell looked down at his bag sheepishly and Zelda was about to explode all over him, until his forced his hand inside and started rummaging frantically, a frown creasing across his usual smooth forehead. 'I brought this. . .' He produced Zelda's silk mourning gown that she had worn at the ceremony marking ten years of his death a matter of months before. 'it meant a lot to me you see,' He trailed off, holding out the black silk. Zelda took it in her hands and ran it through her fingers. It wouldn't do, she needed one of her every day dresses, but it was better than nothing.

Darnell's jaw dropped as she tore through the fabric.

'You brought my sewing did you not?' Darnell once again searched the leather container and thrust it at her. She began to yank out the ever so carefully stitched thread, until she had herself a long piece. Then, like she had never sewn before, she sew. She fashioned the sleeves much shorter, and attached the dirtied bodice from her old dress onto the front, until the effect of purple against black was quite pleasing. She threw the thing over her head and took the stance once again of a fashionable noblewoman.

The effect a piece of clothing can do a person is quite dramatic.

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><p>John was a lowly carpenter, and like the other tradesmen of Hyrule he had been roped in to building extensions and ridiculous buildings in the castle grounds for The Ruler, and again, like all the tradesmen of Hyrule, his workshop had been flooded with the disgusting floodwater. He didn't feel like working that particular day, saddened and demoralized by the waters he had found himself trudging through the murk with no point, wasting his money on drinking his sorrows away as he walked. But every time he drank, he found himself once again sober by the sharp chill of the rain.<p>

On one of these particular walks, he happened to spot the state carriage charging through the streets, causing quite a hubbub with a crowd of people chanting and cheering in its wake. It came to an abrupt stop in the town centre, right at the epicentre of the flooding, the water reaching the same height as the fountain, which for some reason was still chugging out water, making the entire area look like some giant water feature. The horses crashed to a halt and the doors were flung open, and a beautiful elegant figure alighted from the carriage in a rush of purple and black silk. John's heart rose in his chest. Could it be? Could it be? Then the chant, over and over, 'Zelda! Zelda! Zelda!' It was her! It was their true ruler! Alive and well! Standing like a lowly peasant in the rain!

She strode over to the fountain and hoisted herself upon on its rim, addressing her subjects like a true ruler.

'My people.' Her voice was almost as if she were singing, high, clear, perfect, beautiful. 'No dungeon can hold me for long.' Guards rushed like angry ants all around, forming a circle, but not being able to penetrate through the throng of people who stood with adoring eyes upon Zelda. Many of the people drew swords and advanced menacingly on The Ruler's creatures, it was a comic sight. The people who had been sad for so long, doing their everyday tasks with no enthusiasm, feeling empty and lost, rose together as one to protect this one beautiful woman.

She seemed to glow with a golden radiating light, a smile flickering across her face like a wildfire, so perfect and regal, every part the Princess. She raised her hands in the air, her palms stretched outwards, her head facing upwards so her eyes rested upon the heavens, and sure enough the rain ceased. Just like that. It could have been coincidence, no one knew, but even so a respective cheer rose from the people followed by happy bubbling laughter.

But it was not to last.

Darnell saw it first, and dived out of the carriage towards his sister, making an action to grab her round the waist. But the onlookers misunderstood his actions and they rushed on him, pinning him to the ground, he forced himself to keep his head above the water and breathe. No one would listen to his protests, and Zelda continued her speech about her freeing the people, restoring the hope in their hearts and saving them from the monstrous Ruler. She couldn't see it. After all, it was flying behind her back.

And then she was in its talons, whisked far up high, red smattering her newly sewn dress and dripping into the water below, staining it momentarily before it mixed and swirled with the mud. Several people rushed forwards to drink the water her blood had hit, and they rose coughing with dirt dribbling down their chins. A scream of rage erupted from the people, having had their Princess back for mere minutes before she was stolen from them again. But now they had seen her, their hope had been restored, and once again they saw through clear eyes. Everyone drew whatever weapon they could, some eating knives, other swords of the highest calibre, and others just bare hands, and they advanced on he guards, easily piercing their armour with their sheer numbers and swiftly defeating them.

The citizens were running amok.

It was absolutely amazing to see what the effect of one person can do to so many people.

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><p>Darnell stood staring upwards. It had been a few hours since she had gone, and her disappearance weighed heavily on his heart. It had been less than a day that they had finally been reunited, him and his sister, and just like that she had been taken away from him. He hit the carriage in frustration, drawing blood on his knuckles that he sucked angrily. There had been no sign of Link either. Darnell wondered what had happened to him. Usually if there was commotion or trouble, Link was involved. Yet he was eerily absent. This was highly suspicious, and Darnell began to fear for his safety. It was perfectly possible that he had been captured, and likely that he was being tortured of worse for his fighting. Darnell decided that he must find him. And maybe together they could find Zelda.<p>

He unattached the most muscular looking horse from the carriage and swung his leg up, annoyed with himself for the lack of a saddle, wincing as he urged the beast forwards; his thighs rubbed against its bare back. He then spurred it into a gallop, and felt the wind rush through his hair . . . and then oddly moisture.

The rains had started again.

He screamed at the top of his lungs. It could just be a coincidence, he assured himself, it was nothing. They were going through a wet season and that couple of hours was a temporary blip in the storm. At least he hoped so, without Zelda the kingdom was nothing. With a battle cry he urged onwards, his destination once again the castle.

Was this wise? He could be galloping straight into a trap. The castle was bound to have doubled its guard since its most prized prisoner had run free, but then again, most of the guards had been slaughtered by the anger of the people. As he rounded the gateway leading to the castle foreground, a smile began to creep slowly but surely across his lips. In front of him lay a mob of townspeople, all brandishing various torches and weapons and picking off the hapless guards one by one. Many had saddled their horses too, and were charging forwards, so Darnell slipped easily inside, cutting a few Bublins here and there on the way. Inside the gates, somehow it was eerily quiet. Sure it was full of people, but it seemed so quiet and foreign without the gaggle of usual monsters. True the beasts had never been here under Zelda, but he had seen them so often recently that it was odd not to glimpse them.

The mist caused by the rain was hard to see through, and although the castle stood on higher ground, the waters had poked their icy tendrils through the grasses, and collected in a very thin layer of river under his horse's hooves. As he moved, the cool muck flew up and slapped him in the face, and soon it was in his eyes, making it hard for him to see. He was galloping blind with absolutely no sense of direction, hoping with all his heart he was heading towards the double doors that led to the entrance hall. But true to his bad luck that day, he ended up in no such place.

Somehow he had managed to veer off course to his far left, passing through a gateway into the castle gardens, the rain still pouring down his tunic sending shrill shivers down his already freezing spine. The water was falling in such sheer sheets that he found it hard to see a metre in front of his face, and quickly rubbing the dirt out of his eyes, he found that the visibility was so bad, that it was pretty much pointless continuing his journey, but he did anyway.

So closing his eyes, and wrapping his arms tightly round the horse's neck he hoped for the best.

Until he crashed straight into a very solid stone wall.

'Ouch.' He picked himself up from his sprawled position, clutching onto the wall for support. His horse, completely spooked by the whole affair turned tail and ran off in the direction he had come, leaving him transportless. It took him a moment to realise that there was no more water crashing down his back, and there was a torch shoved in his face.

But a guard did not hold the light, no, it was held by a strong arm protruding from the wall, a sconce bearing a flame. Darnell found himself in some kind of outbuilding that the craftsmen had been commissioned to build, and it housed many crates of various food types. Smiling to himself, Darnell sampled a few, and found himself eating rough, coarse bread. Servants' food, but good to eat nonetheless.

To his right there grew a ladder, sprouting from the round like a tree, twisted and knarled with either age or poor craftsmanship, Darnell was unsure which. He began to climb its rough surface, his hands splintering and glowing with pain, but still he continued. On and on it seemed to go, higher and higher until he reached a ledge. He swung his thin body up onto it and smiled. Just a small flight of stairs, and then he was atop the castle wall. Again the rain sloshed into his face, but by now he was used to its bitter embrace. He ran lightly along its surface, knocking and firing an arrow here and there, just for the hell of it, until he reached the smashed window that the Ruler and his or her people had been using to enter the castle. They had erected a tall thick oak door, and built it a frame, and it was donned with a large but ornate lock.

However, Darnell was good with locks.

In a few minutes he was in, the window glinting and reflecting his pale rain-washed face back at him. He smiled at his reflection before he stepped inside, and caught sight of how alike he looked to his sister. Evidentially someone else agreed with him about his looks, as a rough voice croaked eerily through the space.

'Hello there my pretty princess, come back to your cell have we?'


	3. Єѕсαрз

**:::Disclaimer::: I do not own anything you recognise =D**

**:AN: As a request from Eggplant Witch, (or the awesome Eleanor =D) I have changed Richard's name to 'Darnell' which is far more mysterious, his name sounded weird compared to Zelda's, so I thank you sooooo much for your help ^^**

**Also Darnell needs some serious character development . . . and I apologise for his weakness so far DX please don't desert me, I can only improve!**

**And TwilightQueenMidna, you are just awesome! =D**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Link re-awoke with heavy eyelids. He had no idea where he was. All he could glimpse trough his half open eyes was darkness. With the faintest hint of orange. Hint of orange . . . he could suddenly see again, and his situation became evident. He was chained, up against a wall, in a room lined with small dim torches. He strained against his shackles, the cold metal stinging against his skin. Wait . . . if the metal was cold, he couldn't have been here long. A wince crossed his features as a stabbing headache smashed through his head, he shook the chains in a futile effort to reach and caress his forehead. A creaking noise sounded the opening of a stiff old door, and a dark figure entered the room. Complete and utter surprise washed over Link's pale face as he realised who had just entered.<p>

No one other than The Ruler. And it was alone. No guards, nothing.

'So. Link. The so called swordsman.' It didn't seem to walk, only glide over the cracked and dirtied stone floor, its robes billowing in a wind that wasn't there. Its voice was low, yet high, thin yet thick, strained yet clear, impossible to make out any gender, age, anything. The two bright red eyes that shone out from under its heavy hood locked onto Link's blue gaze, and they stood just looking at each other for some time. Link was too rigid with a mixture of fear and surprise to move, not that the restraining chains would have let him move anyway, but something about this figure was oddly . . . familiar . . .

A hand emerged from within the folds of its clothing, and gently stroked his cheek. His eyes widened and he stared at in shock as its cool skin came in contact with his, and something odd passed between the layers of smoothness. Like fire burning between them, and if Link could move, he would have backed away startled.

And then The Ruler threw back its hood.

* * *

><p>Darnell seemed to be seeing a lot of cells over the past few days. First was busting Link out of that dingy little one in the surgery basement – another story for another time – then Zelda, and now the same cell again, only himself being the prisoner this time. Only with the last two he had been the saviour. And as far as he could guess, his two friends were captured themselves. His only hope was that the guards would realise that he was not indeed his sister, but just a lowly courtier who took a wrong turn. He crossed his fingers, sunk to his knees, and prayed to the Gods.<p>

Evidentially he was wanted alive, as some food was shoved roughly under the thin slit between the dark wood of the door and the dirtied floor. He looked at it with great suspicion, turning it over and over in his hands, viewing it at every angle to be sure of no traces of poison, or mould for that matter. They had given him a slice of the bread he had tasted mere hours earlier, a small goblet of dry tasteless wine, and a couple of limp looking lettuce leaves. Not the most appetising of meals, but better than nothing nonetheless.

After the thorough inspection, he wolfed it down with the least amount of chews possible, almost choking in the process. He hadn't realised until that moment just how hungry he was.

'Rise and shine darling,' A voice leered at him, as his door was thrust open with about as much respect for the oak as one might have for a rat. It took a moment for Darnell to realise, that in their eyes, he was the lowly rat. A dirty, smelly, useless waste of space. Never before had Darnell felt such sympathy for his poor sister.

They yanked him forcefully to his feet by his aching shoulders, and began to frogmarch him down the hall outside his cell, their bulky clubs digging harshly into his back the entire time. They kept his head thrust downwards if they could not bear to set eyes upon his face, and Darnell had no clue where they were going. He counted the turns and steps they took almost automatically, but it did not help that he couldn't see anything other than the floor. After some time they arrived at their destination. He was flung carelessly onto the floor, until he lay in the same position Zelda had during her trail, face down, arms outstretched, holding himself up roughly on his hands.

'Look at me boy.' That surprised him. He didn't have to look up to know who the speaker was, but how had The Ruler known that he was not Zelda? All the guards seemed to have been easily fooled. He slowly raised his head, and glared with as much anger as he could from under his now lank fringe. 'Guards. You have once again failed to bring me the wretch. Have the boy disposed of. I do not want the people knowing that my men continue to waste my precious time.' And with that The Ruler stepped back, swished his or her robes, and shattered into a thousand square shards. Darnell was frozen to the spot, watching with wide eyes as the dark shards flittered and floated upwards, into a kind of red portal that had opened up in the air above. He would have to ask Zelda what it meant, then it took a jolt for him to realise that Zelda was missing. Damn! What was he to do?

The guards talking behind him woke him out of his reverie.

'How on earth does he do that?'

'What . . . the king? The funny disappearing thing? I dunno,'

'Yeah.'

'Funny how he don't give us powers to disappear, huh?'

'Yeah!'

'Why do we call him 'The King'? We don't even know if he's bleeding male,'

'Yeah!'

'Is that all you're gonna say?'

'Yeah . . .'

The guards continued to talk, paying no attention to the young man sprawled across the floor, who was slowly bringing himself to his feet. Darnell flopped the hair out of his eyes, which was out of its usual hat, he must have lost it somewhere in the rain, and sprinted as fast as his limited energy would let him, running back the way he had come.

Keeping his head down, he counted the steps, allowing for the wider strides of his running, and numbered the turns. He guessed, correctly, that he was being held in the same cell that Zelda had been in, and from there he knew a passageway that would take him back out into the fresh clear air. The atmosphere inside the dungeons was disgusting, the stench of human sewage and the pressing already-been-breathed-before air was driving him crazy with desire for the outside world. How Zelda had held her head up for so long in here, he had no idea.

Once he finally had his lungs full of new air, he sank to his knees gratefully. True, the muddy floodwater cascaded around his middle, and the rain pounded harshly against his head, but out there was a million times better than being inside that horrid place. Now all that was left to do, was to somehow track down his friends.

* * *

><p>Little did Darnell know, that those very friends were trying their ultimate best to find him. Or at least Zelda was unshackled enough to be trying to look for him. She had passed out in a mixture of shock and blood loss when that creature had seized her around the waist, and was pacing the small area that she had found herself in. Turns out, the creature did not posses enough brains to be a crony of The Ruler, and had dumped her somewhere randomly in a forest clearing. Why on earth it had tackled her she had no idea, it couldn't have been sent by anyone really, she doubted if anything other than food and sleep crossed the creature's mind, never mind orders of a higher power. And so, she tugged her dress closer around her, and bowed her head against the rain.<p>

Should she remove the clothing and travel in her undergarments? She would be far too cold in this weather in her under-dress, but if she was recognised by an enemy, she would be simply whisked away and dealt with severely. She instead opted for untying her hair and letting the rain twist and curl it far out of her trademark straight style. She would be taken for a soaked, lost noblewoman. At least she hoped so.

The waters of the heavens washed away days of grime, and the smell of the dreaded dungeons, replacing it instead with the fresh sharp scent of the forest, even if the mud did soak through her shoes making her very uncomfortable, but she supposed if her people put up with it day in day out, so would she.

After some time, as she had hoped, someone did come across her. He was a youngish man, with hair in a surprisingly large afro that seemed to have birds nesting in it, and she had no idea how he had managed to hold up his hairstyle in the pouring rain.

'Hey lady! You need help right? I'll take ya to Ordon. There ya can get yaself some nice milk 'n' a hot meal.' He didn't ask questions. No exchange of names took place, and Zelda was silently thankful. She hadn't had time to think of a cover story as to why a richly dressed noblewoman was roaming around the forest in the bucketing rain, obviously lost, with no escort. She realised how odd she must look to this forest man, who was dressed in the oldest of fabrics, with a large pot of some kind of oil in his hands. He offered to sell her some of it, but she declined, having no use for the strange liquid, and no money about her either. The man looked disappointed, but said nothing.

The time she spent in the forest gave her a perfect opportunity to think. And no matter how hard she tried to steer her direction of thought, all she could think back to was the dreadful moment when The Ruler had held up its hand . . . and her TriForce had appeared upon its dappled skin . . . shining as bright as the day she had first witnessed it upon her own body. The mark had not appeared on her since, not that it usually did, choosing only to appear at times such as fighting, or whenever she came into contact with the dreaded twilight. She supposed that must have been where The Ruler had appeared from, and that must be why it wore robes, to hide its hideous appearance of the blackness. Zelda involuntarily shuddered.

'You ok lady?' Zelda nodded to his question, and realised that they had almost reached their destination. Zelda's eyes grew wide as she passed Link's house. Ordon. It clicked into place, Link's hometown. His residence was looking the worse for wear, he had obviously not visited in a long time, and the roof had fallen in at parts, water must be flowing all over his floor. Zelda wondered if he knew about it.

The man led her through the town, until they reached a smallish house with a large pair of double doors. The man rapped his knuckles against the soft wood, and after a slight pause they swung open revealing a much older and larger man. Then, the younger man turned tail and left without explaining her presence.

'What can I do for you fine lady?' Good, she hadn't been recognised.

'My name is Sheik- I mean, Shi, short for Shilina.' Shilina? 'I went astray when exploring the woods, and that young man kindly guided me here. Would you be so kind to take me under your shelter for a while? I am completely lost.' To her surprise the man beamed into a large smile and opened his arms.

'Gladly! You have come to the right place, I am Mayor Bo, feel free to spend as much time here as you need!' Zelda was surprised at how openly he accepted a perfect stranger into his household, but obviously things were very different from the big town life in Ordon. She stepped through the large doorframe carefully removing her sodden shoes from her feet and placing them with a pile of shoes that already lay there. 'Here, let me get you some dryer ones. I think you are of a similar size to my daughter.' He brought out a pair of beautiful but very plain boots, which fit her perfectly. They were warm from sitting by the blazing fire. 'She went gallivanting off to Karikio Village some years ago to be with her man, and never thought to pick up any of her belongings. I wonder if she ever thinks of me.' Bo seemed rather sad, and Zelda wondered if she should reach out a hand to comfort him, but at the same time she did not want to give the wrong impression, so kept them stiffly at her sides. 'Let me get you some dry clothes.' He disappeared up a winding stairwell onto the next level of the house, and Zelda realised that this house was not small at all. At least, to her it was small, but to the residents of Ordon it must have appeared lavish and very grand indeed. Bo reappeared at the top of the stairs holding a beautiful silken dress, it wasn't as luxurious as any of her normal day dresses, but for a villager it was beautiful.

'Oh please, don't go to much trouble for me, I'm fine with a simple nightgown if it's easier,'

'No please, you can have it, it was Illia's . . . I bought it for her in the small hope that she would wear it for her wedding to that Link,' the Mayor pulled a saddened expression, and thrust it in her arms. Zelda's jaw had dropped. Link? Illia? This must be the father of that wench he had left behind! Fancy leaving her all alone in Karikio! Zelda began to feel a small bought of jealousy. Was Link really going to marry this man's daughter? Without even consulting her? She must have been deluding herself all these years that she had known him. In a stony silence she ascended the stairs, changed, then returned back downstairs to a hot meal of pumpkin soup, an Ordon speciality apparently, and the finest wine that the Mayor owned, which of course, was not a notch on her usual palace drink. Although this place was quaint and beautiful, she missed her castle greatly.

And she had no idea if she could ever return.

* * *

><p>Link couldn't believe what was in front of his eyes. Or rather, who was in front of his eyes. A perfect representation of the noble woman herself, only with pale, frosted white skin, framed by waist length white hair, her red eyes and golden circlet the only colour upon her face. Somehow . . . somehow . . . Zelda stared back into his eyes. It was her, all her features the same . . . The Ruler threw off her heavy robes revealing a dress identical to Zelda's usual, only black with gold gilding. Her skirts rippled and cascaded about her like a dark waterfall, slim, shady, elegant over-the-elbow length gloves encasing her hands. She was starkly beautiful, her skin much more unblemished than Zelda's, a pure brilliant white, her eyes hypnotising and alluring. Her lips were as pale as her cheeks, but were pouted in such a way that Link wished to place his upon hers. No! This was wrong! This was not the Zelda he knew! As if to rub salt in the wound she spoke.<p>

'I am Zelda.' Her voice, her voice was what gave her away, it did not sound as human as Zelda's, yet it was like a beautiful song, each word falling with precise measure against his ears. 'I am the true Zelda.' Link found himself nodding, trying harder and harder to break free of his chains, to see the beautiful slim woman from every angle . . . 'I am sorry for the harm I have caused you . . .' Her fingers gently caressed the wound upon his neck. 'The woman you have known for so long . . .' Her fingers stroked his cheek, her touch as light and as cool as a feather, 'Was a lie.' Link was enraptured. He couldn't move. 'She stole from me . . .' Zelda's face becoming ever closer . . . 'My true identity.'

Not even Zelda can keep her eyes open without them beginning to dry out, and sooner or later she had to blink, and at that precise moment she did.

And the spell broke.


	4. Đίѕςούєґєγ

**:::Disclamier::: I do not own anything you recognise =D**

**:AN: once again, thanks TwilightQueenMidna! Hee hee you're awesome ^^ and Eleanor thanks for the inspiration! =D **

* * *

><p>Zelda smiled over the rim of her goblet at Bo. The room was warm, the food good, and the conversation interesting. Bo had begun to drink a lot, partly due to Zelda's insistence, in which she would immediately refill his cup with the sweet wine every time he drained it. After they had drunk their way through a couple of bottles, Bo was off his feet.<p>

'So, tell me about your daughter's man . . . this Link, how do you find him?' Zelda pressed her fingers together over the cup, staring at Bo with piercing but interested eyes.

'Weelll thar man, ee is a strrrappin lad ee is,' More wine to the goblet, 'but arrr, I donnn approve of imm I don,'

'Why ever not?' Zelda took a sip, feeling insanely guilty for pressing the Mayor in this manner, it wasn't right, surely.

'Whyy I knew from te beginnin' I did thar ee'd leave er I did, ee don care for womennn ee don' Zelda raised an eyebrow, 'buuu yar, ee were verryy much in love wi er he was.' That was what Zelda had been dreading. 'Got down n is knee ee did, n proposed to er jus like thar ee did, very sweeeeet n alllll,' Zelda blinked back tears.

'Please, do excuse me. I need sleep.' Bo did not reply, he seemed to have fallen asleep himself, his head resting upon his dinner bowl, the remnants of the orange soup forming some kind of pillow. Zelda thought she owed him a little, for using him in such a way, so she carefully lifted him as best she could, not really being strong enough to lift his entire form, laying him out on the floor, then draping his nearby bedclothes over him, tucking him like a mother would to her children. 'Sleep well.'

She then turned her back on his gentle snores, grasping the stair rail in her un-gloved hands and beginning to climb the wooden steps. It felt so odd, to be touching something without the familiar rustle of silk protecting her fingers, but at the same time it was refreshing. Being able to let her hair down – literally – and be who she wanted to be. A common woman, not a ruler, not a highly prized person, just another visiting noblewoman. It was amazing, to be able to walk anywhere she wished at any time of the day without the familiar step of an escort, clad in the red and silver uniform of the courtiers. She had chosen their garments herself, so they did not clash with the purple and gold she usually wore. Wondering if she were far too vain to have made everything in her court colour compliment, she changed into a linen nightgown Bo had retrieved for her, and slipped into Illia's old bed.

But sleep refused to claim her as its own. She lay awake most of the night dreaming with open eyes, wondering where Link was now, whether he was fine and well, or captured like she had feared. It had been so long since her eyes had brushed his features, her capture removing herself from him, then him just disappearing, without a second thought for her. And then it hit her.

Karikio. Illia. He had probably gone to see her, to be with his filly, rather than the dirtied, pompous once princess. Is that all Link desired? A title? If he did indeed marry Illia, then he would inherit Ordon as his own when Bo died. Yes, it all made sense. She would have to make her way to Karikio, and see for herself. And if her suspicions were correct, which she imagined them to be, she would confront the man and let Illia know how he had toyed with her heart and stamped on it.

What had happened to her? The great ruler she had once been? Reduced to a lowly commoner with only a taste for revenge. She feared for her country, had she acted like this when upon the throne? Had she selfishly placed her own happiness above others? She couldn't just lie there in this bed; she had to be saving her people! And she knew, to save her people, she had to save herself first, and that involved seeing Link.

And so, dressing herself once again in her black and purple gown, and taking a few food provisions from Bo's house, and hastily scribbling a note, she cast herself into the early and dark hours of the morning, soothing and easing a broken heart.

* * *

><p>Link stared with wide eyes. There was nothing else he could do, being immobile. A snarl began to curl his bottom lip, as anger seeped through his veins like red-hot poison, and he found his fingers curling into fists. He smashed his chains loudly against the wall, opening his mouth in a silent roar baring his teeth like a wolf. And there it was. The shining beacon of hope, glowing like the rising sun upon his hand, the three miniature triangles bathing the room in a beautiful crystalline glow.<p>

'HA!' Link yelled, being a man of little words. The Zelda being mere centremetres from the tip of his nose opened its big lusty red eyes and cast him a gaze of pure malice, her radiant hair flowing around her delicate features like a shimmering waterfall of white, her lips silently opening and closing trying to induce his desire.

And the spell began to re-awake.

Link could feel it, the cool scent of magic twisting in his nose, brushing his skin and trying to penetrate him. But Link was strong, and brimming with courage, and managed to force his eyes shut against the wave of force entering his mind. He could feel the scorching of the TriForce rushing through him, with every moment becoming stronger and stronger . . . the humiliation and embarrassment he had just suffered bubbling just beneath his surface, itching, screaming to break free.

But no matter how strong his TriForce made him, he could not break the solid steal.

But, being shackles, they could be opened with a very small key.

And that small key was just right size for a small blue person to hold.

And suddenly, a cry.

'Hey! Listen!'

* * *

><p>Darnell had acquired himself a compass, and a map of the whole of Hyrule, which had not been cheap, and began marking upon its surface the possible places of his friends. He suspected Link was somewhere in the immediate area, and if he had been captured, then he was most likely to be inside the castle walls. So, shouldering his sword and shield, he stood up from the café chair he had been residing in, intending to head towards the palace again, but something made him stop. The people, and quite a number of them, were crowded around the fountain with their hands outstretched. He rushed forwards towards the crowd, sloshing through the murky floodwater as fast as he could. It sprayed up and smacked him smartly across the face leaving a trail of grubby marks against his unshaven chin, he wiped it off angrily, resenting the un-receding waters.<p>

The people were gesturing and pointing to the fountain in excitement, rumours bubbling throughout the cooking pot of the crowd. Darnell found himself jumping up and down, trying to catch a glimpse of the fountain. Usually it spewed out disgusting rainwater, scooped out of the basin of the feature, but for some reason the water spitting out now was crystal clear. It seemed to shine with the faintest tint of gold in the weak sunlight, and the people surged forwards like a wave to capture it in various pots, pans and buckets, letting the cool liquid pour down their throats like lifeblood into veins. They had been surviving the past few days on various weak alcoholic drinks, although good to taste, doing little for the thirst, for the drinking water had been contaminated for the town, and so, the fresh water was a miracle in itself. Darnell however, had been surviving off court water that was supplied through a separate supply pipe to that of the townspeople, and was not particularly thirsty. So he left that lot to it, and once again set off towards the castle, wondering in his mind the significance of the miracle.

He had made the decision that he was going to quit his work. Now Zelda no longer sat atop the throne, he had no need to stay within the palace walls any longer, as they were a mere shadow of their former selves, the grandeur and elegance of the stone reduced to a depressing mix of sadness and despair. Everyone who entered the once beautiful place, felt in their hearts that it had run into decay. Even the villains who supposedly worshipped The Ruler felt a little sad at the state of the castle, with its un-swept floors and dirtied tapestries. The weavings themselves told a story of battle and death, wins and losses, lost behind a layer of clinging dirt. Darnell wondered how Zelda must have felt, when her delicate gaze grazed these images, her family's history disappearing from view in front of her very eyes.

To make it worse, the contents of the castle were being auctioned off at ridiculously inflated prices to anyone who would buy, as Zelda's personal money stores being protected by at least seven different locks, no one knowing where the keys were, except for the princess herself of course. And so, The Ruler had found his or herself extremely short of cash, money needed for purchasing armour and weapons or the suchlike, so pointless bloodthirsty battles could be fought against invisible enemies. Such is the mind of a ferocious leader. The tradesmen of Hyrule were practically running over each other to buy the items, sofas, tables, curtains, anything. Each of the five chandeliers that had made their way onto the auction list had been worth a fortune, many being a joint purchase between the people, now hanging in town halls and other buildings of the like.

It was a sickening sight. The royal family had worked so hard to raise their wealth, not wanting to live in such splendour, but choosing to keep in keeping with what was expected of them, as nobody really wanted a pauper on the throne. No one in their right mind would want to destroy such a legacy; such was the hatred of The Ruler.

And of course, the renovations of the castle seemed to be getting weirder and weirder. At first, there was talk of simple sleeping quarters and outhouses made of wood, but then came the commissioning of the glass staircase to replace the mounting block that Zelda had placed, and the most recent demand, of one of the north towers to be completely removed from the fifth floor onwards and replaced with an absolutely enormous skylight. Why? Nobody seemed to know. Work just commenced without any questions asked. If the money was there, then nobody seemed to care.

And Darnell refused to stand for it.

The cool air washed over his face and the rank smell of mould entered his nose when he thrust the double doors open to the entrance hall of the castle. Back in his courtier garb, he was pretty sure that no one would try to capture him again, and so he strode forwards with a defiant look cast across his face. He marched up to the sign-in desk, which was actually being manned for once by a scrawny looking newbie, yanked his heavy red cap off his head and slammed it onto the desk proclaiming 'I quit!' In a large booming voice. The young boy stared at Darnell with wide eyes, rigid with fear. Darnell raised an eyebrow and pointed at the cap, and the apprentice hurried to scoop it up and copy down his details onto a thick wad of parchment, all the while his small feeble hands shaking. Darnell quite liked the impression he had made, and grinned from ear to ear, feeling more alive than he had done over the past few days. When the apprentice had finished, he turned his back, threw off his silver overcoat and marched out the way he had come.

All in all, it had been very satisfying.

* * *

><p>Link let out a nasty snarl as he dropped lightly to his feet ignoring the stiffness in his limbs. His eyes had lit up with a certain fire that had lain dormant for some time, roaring to break free. The Zelda stood slightly away from him, watching in a mixture of disdain and arrogance as the tiny little blue fairy flittered up to Link's shoulder and settled herself there, like a bird would roost in a nest for the night. The fairy had a large motor mouth that never seemed to cease, all the while screaming instructions in the green clad swordsman's ear, whilst throwing the occasional dirty insult in the dark Zelda's direction.<p>

Link had drawn his sword, and now stood with the blade held aloft, the tip shining menacingly in the air. It had been a while since he had last fought, and his muscles ached to be attacking something.

'This is for tempting him!' Screeched the little blue blob, as Link surged forwards like a tidal wave towards the Zelda, who to his apparent surprise, flinched.

'And this is for being an awful ruler!' He swung the blade ferociously about his head almost like a dancer, catching the dark Zelda smartly across the cheek. The slash made no mark upon her skin.

'And this is for dissing fairies!' Link raised an eyebrow, but rushed forwards again anyway, but his blow never met its target. The dark Zelda had let out an ear-piercing scream, flinging her arms skywards and shattering into many, many small black squares, which flittered upwards into a red portal. A twilight being. It was so obvious; somehow Ganondorf was attacking once more, through an entirely different means.

Link, still surging full of battle lust, swung his weapon round and round, practising many fancy moves and elaborate doges, until he finally decided that perhaps escape was the best move right now.

'Took you long enough.' Muttered the fairy when he had re-sheathed the Master Sword, 'You really have half a brain, don't you?' She stuck out her tongue, even though the gesture was too miniature for Link to see. He began casting looks about the room he found himself in with a slight frown lacing his features. The door that the dark Zelda had entered seemed to have disappeared, replacing itself with the same stone pattern as the rest of the walls. But suddenly the stonework flew inwards, and an out of breath very shabby looking Darnell burst in.

'I found you!' He shouted loudly, grinning from ear to ear.

'And we found you apparently.' Darnell searched for a couple of seconds before he realised that the speaker belonged to the small ball of light bobbing enthusiastically up and down on the shoulder of Link's dirtied tunic.

'Oh there's so much you need to know! The Ruler is some sort of-'

'Twilight being, yes,'

'And Zelda has gone missing again, in the talons of those Karibirdythingymebobs, we've got to go and find her! Oh and Link . . . I told her that I was Darnell. And she believed every word.' Link's mouth shot open, and he rounded on Darnell with his blade, stopping millimetres from his neck.

'From what I can gather,' The fairy continued, 'He isn't very happy with you.' Darnell eye-rolled. 'Oh, and I'm Navi by the way, if you haven't gathered, the one and only awesome blue fairy!' She did a little flutter and twinkle of her wings in the light of Link's TriForce, which was beginning to dim again. Link flicked her off his shoulder and took a step towards Darnell. He carefully unlaced the white neck of his tunic, until the scar that Zelda had cast upon his flesh all that time ago was in view, and forcefully pressed his fingers against it.

And then with great pain, he tried to speak.

'She . . . can't know . . .'

'The truth.' Navi butted in, automatically finishing his sentences for him. 'Basically, right, she has to like keep believing you're her bro and stuff until we can think of another way. And yeah, like we should probably tread carefully now,' Darnell stared at the fairy with wide, open eyes, evidentially confused by what she had just said, and what made the situation worse, was the fact that Link shot her daggers from his eyes over his arched shoulder. What could that possibly mean?

'Errr, lets get you two to a bar or something, I gather it's been a long time since you last saw each other.'

* * *

><p>The rain, always the rain, wherever she travelled, no matter how far she roamed, it smacked her again and again, never cutting her a break. By now, Zelda had learned to wear a sort of waterproof cover over her clothing, consisting of some animal pelt that she had traded food for, from a passing tradesman. It was warm, and very comfortable, although such a foreign feeling from her usual silks and satins. She had contemplated over and over whether she should cut her hair, shorter would be so much easier to manage, and be far more sensible, but Zelda had spent her whole lifetime being sensible, and to be honest, she liked her hair. She decided, for pretty much the first time in her life, that she would value beauty over functionality.<p>

And so, her beautiful golden tresses lay slung up behind her head in a high ponytail, with a long fringe left outside to hang gently against her face. She looked very different from her formal self, and she was enjoying it. To her, it was just a game of dress up, or rather, dress down, and she got a certain thrill from meeting her subjects and daring herself to go further and further to see if they recognised her. But none ever did, which was rather lucky really. She spent her days and nights freely, she could dance or sing or throw random objects around, and no one batted an eyelid. She could scream and imitate the wildlife around her, or roll around in the long grass, breathing in its soft summer scent. Never before had she felt so, so alive.

Karikio loomed suddenly in the distance, the dark shape of Death Mountain framing the small village like a painting, and her heart began to sink a little as she remembered the purpose of her journey. In a way she was glad she had found civilisation, in need of a hot drink and a bath, and possibly a good nights sleep. She had no money, and no food left, and had little idea how she was going to pay for her stay, but she wasn't princess Zelda for nothing. She'd figure something out, somehow.

The hot red dust swirled and billowed around her in the cascading waters, the white mist of castle town replaced with a glorious rouge tint, which gave the entire village a quaint feel. It hadn't rained in Karikio before Zelda's fall in living memory, and the residents were responding well. They had packed bags tight full of sand and placed them around their doorways to protect against the forming rivers, and set up drainage systems and ways of cleaning the rainwater making it suitable to drink, ingenious really.

The Karikio springs, both the hot spring and cold, were world renowned for their purity, but sadly the large stretch of water upon the lower level had mixed with the flood and spread its fingers all across the village, making its properties virtually useless. Zelda felt a small stab of sorrow. She partly felt responsible for the rains, as if the Gods were punishing her people for her fall, and she began to wonder if she should be doubling her efforts to climb back on her seat of power, rather than settling a petty squabble.

But she was here now, and meh, what could she do? Rain soaked and shivering from the days of cold she knocked on the nearest door she found, and to her surprise, discovered herself face to face with none other than the wench, Illia.

'Hello, may I help you?' The young girl was quite quiet and polite, her short hair flopping about her head in a sweet young fashion.

'My name is Shi, I am looking for shelter. May I find any within this village?' Zelda tried hard to keep the venom out of her voice.

'Why of course, come in,' Illia beckoned her inwards, away from the screaming voices of the rain. Zelda bowed her head and entered the premises, casually slinging off her pelt so her gorgeous clothes could be viewed, even if now a little dirtied. Illia took a sharp intake of breath when she sighted her own silken dress in Zelda's travelling bag, and she cast the newcomer a wary look. She elegantly bent down and ran her fingers through the fabric, not quite daring to inquire as to how the beautiful stranger had come across it. Zelda ignored the looks Illia was casting her way and made herself perfectly at home, all was going to plan.

Finally Illia whipped up the courage to speak.

'I was going to wear this to my wedding.' Zelda raised an eyebrow, and then remembered that she was supposed to be holding sympathy,

'You poor girl . . . do tell, whatever happened?' Illia noticed the note of arrogance in the woman's voice, and an inkling of her identity began to seep into her brain.

'He left me . . .' she began, but then an idea popped into her head. 'With a promise that he would hurry back, make me his wife, and we'd live happily together . . .' Illia began to lose her temper, and cast Zelda a straight look in the eye. 'Forever! With no interruptions from strangers!'

Zelda began to feel a slight stab of guilt.

But that would not quell the rage rising inside her.

She had to take it out on something . . . someone . . .


	5. Įŋŧзґmįssίoŋ Ơηε – Łįηҝ's Pοзŧґұ

_**Įŋŧзґmįssίoŋ Ơηε – Łįηҝ's Pοзŧґұ **_

* * *

><p><strong>Đo you remember, when we were younger,<strong>

**When we would sit alone together,**

**And talk and laugh, and recall times,**

**Of a childhood so long ago.**

**And do you remember, our joyful laughter,**

**When we would play alone together,**

**And shout and scream and just be us,**

**But that's all disappeared.**

**I miss the old Zelda, the bold Zelda,**

**The before-you-got-so-cold Zelda, **

**The girl who would laugh and sing and dance,**

**And smile with pretty eyes.**

**But all that seems to be left of you,**

**All that I can see,**

**Is a shadow of your former self,**

**And to be honest,**

**It saddens me.**


	6. Şoґѓoω

**:::Disclaimer::: I do not own anything you recognise =D**

* * *

><p>Darnell and Link sat either side of a café table, held high above the flood water with the help of a few planks of slowly rotting wood, staring at each other. Navi was the only one talking, her little motor of a mouth spinning out words which no one was particularly listening to, especially not Link, who thought he had got shot of the fairy some months ago, only for her to reappear and bit him on the backside.<p>

'Are you actually listening to me?' Navi screeched, but of course, the men weren't, and completely ignored her. She resided into a Navi-sulk, which basically meant she spoke ten times faster than normal, and at a higher much more irritating pitch.

The two young men had not set eyes upon each other in a matter of months, so therefore had little to say. Link was angry with the boy for spilling the lie he had spun to Zelda, when he had planned the exact place and time he wanted her to 'find out' Darnell's 'true' identity, and Darnell was just confused as to why he was the spike of Link's anger.

'Link . . .' Darnell dared start a sentence, but the swordsman slammed his fist upon the wood of the table with a large BANG, and the boy quickly shut his mouth. His mind kept rolling over and over the strange sentence Navi had uttered back in the cell room Link had occupied, and he still couldn't quite make sense of it. _'Basically, right, she has to like keep believing you're her bro and stuff until we can think of another way.' _Another way? What other way could there possibly be? Darnell couldn't take this any longer.

'Link! For Din's sake! What have I done wrong?'

'LIAR!' Link roared, his face instantly creasing into agony, his hands flying to his neck, where redness had started to billow upon the once creamy white of his collar.

'Link! Oh my god! You're like, leaking!' Navi flittered up from the table, and yanked open the laces on his lapel with her miniscule hands, revealing an ugly stain of red upon Link's neck scar. 'Ooohh you ain't gonna be talking for a while now buster,' She seemed to take pleasure in his misfortune, Darnell thought that if he could see her face, she would be grinning. What a strange little being.

The crimson began to trickle further and further down Link's pale skin, his face contorted in agony, screaming cries of anguish into the early evening air, receiving several strange looks from passers-by. The liquid poured over his fingers as he removed them from the wound, dripping steadily onto the table, Darnell didn't think he had ever seen anyone bleed so much in such a short space of time, he now understood why Link hardly ever opened up his vocal chords fully. His voice, whenever he did use it, was extremely thick and heavy, a coarse low noise that could not be missed. He had a tone that made a statement, and Darnell slightly envied him for it. He longed to be someone that people looked up to, and he yearned to cut an impression, to leave a lasting mark.

What hadn't occurred to Darnell was the fact that he craved attention, and it did not matter to him if the hands of the good, or of the bad held the interest. And the bad, was far more easier to achieve. It would only be a matter of time before he was driven off the rails, and that miserable, sad day, the day when he was about to discover the great secret of his life, was setting in the sun right that moment, as his future drew ever closer.

And that it began with his insistence to discover Navi's secret.

'Navi!' The little blue shimmering light was still hovering around Link's neck area, and it shocked Darnell to realise that he cared more for the fairy's words than the health of his life long friend. Navi broke away from Link, after insisting he wrap a large amount of clean linen around the scar, and sit down away from Darnell.

'Right, what can I do for you?' The little woman seemed to be revelling in being wanted for practically the first time in her life.

'I want to know something. It has been confusing me; I know something is up, something you're not telling me?' Darnell could almost see Navi rolling her eyes, and she sighed.

'Well . . . I'm not supposed to tell you but I guess you have already guessed and I hate following rules and I want to tell you anyway because I don't think its fair that you don't know and I feel like being a rebel because I haven't been a rebel for ages and it's fun being a rebel and-' Darnell swiped the little glowing orb out of the air and held It tight in his fist. 'Like oh my Din! Fairy abuse!' It screeched annoyingly.

'Just tell me what the secret is, before I lose my temper.' Darnell's voice had sunk to a pointed whisper, sharp with the anger and annoyance of years. He sounded dangerous.

'Alright alright! Geez! You're like, not Zelda's real bro, he like died and we found you as a little ragamuffin in the street then we had you drugged and stuff and told you his identity and stuff yeah like it was just luck that you looked like Zelda really . . .' She trailed off into a nervous giggle, struggling to break free of his firm grasp. He responded and threw her downwards; she only just recovered mere millimetres from the floor. 'Hey! Listen!' Darnell had turned away, tears collecting in the corners of his eyes, 'LISTEN!' He began to walk, or rather trudge, away, the waters swirling around his boots, the mud marbling in the sunlight casting thousands of different colours about the water's surface, like an oil slick upon a puddle. His hands had clenched into two balls of fist, his muscles tensing, his veins throbbing outwards from his skin, the anger radiating from him in almost visible red-hot waves.

His whole life had been a lie.

But, would he take for granted the words of a mere simple fairy?

* * *

><p>Illia and Zelda stood face to face, each staring at the other with a look of deep contempt. Zelda rose somewhat taller than her opponent, her height being rather remarkable for a woman, more matching that of a man's, and so she cut a far more formidable impression. Illia however, had an expression on her face that had never been viewed by her friends or family. It was a mixture of disgust and complete and utter hatred, the sort of look that would make even a grown man squirm.<p>

The two woman lingered in these positions for some time, neither wanting to make the first move, until Zelda had decided she had seen enough of the young girl's expression and had turned her back, her skirts swishing outwards and giving the gesture a defiant air.

'What has happened to you?' Illia gazed at the elegant woman's back with an expression of sorrow. 'What happened to our great ruler? Take a look at yourself, Zelda.' The last word Illia uttered was somewhat softer than the rest of her sentences, as if she couldn't quite believe that the woman she once admired had changed so much. Zelda turned, and caught sight of herself in the long floor-length mirror Illia had unveiled. The thing was a little old, its shimmering surface smattered with the dark blots that silver acquires, Zelda's pale and now pinched face scowling back at herself. She took a sharp breath at her reflection, her eyes widening and her hands flying to her mouth as her true self was shown to her for the first time.

Her hair was lank, scraped back behind her head in an uncaring fashion, the elegant clothes she wore ripped and torn, splattered with mud and grime, tiredness showing upon her once pretty features as large dark purple bags hanging under eyes like two scars.

She was a sight. She sank to her knees in front of the silver, an expression of distress splashed across her face like a stain upon fine cloth, and to Illia's surprise, she apologised to her. Illia's heart softened at once, and she bent down beside her true ruler and flung her arms around her thin, frail shoulders. She whispered words of comfort into her ear, leading her carefully towards a bathtub she had run for herself previously, and left the once ruler to soak in the hot waters, and wash away her apparent anguish.

Zelda couldn't realise what she had become. Her time away from court had turned her into a twisted lost soul, and there was no way she could re-ascend to the throne in this state. She had to remember to put her people in front of herself, so what was she doing here? She had golden steps to climb, bloody battles to wage, and politics to introduced. In that small Karikio bathtub, full to the brim with lilac scented bubbles, Zelda decided to twist Hyrule's legacy into that of a democracy. For year after year, her family had refused to make the change, for fear that the people would elect a less suitable candidate to fill their place, extremely arrogant really, but that was the way of kings. Zelda would have to get herself elected back up to her seat of power, and she knew that even if a small part of her plan failed, her head would be on the chopping block.

She rose out of the waters refreshed and in a firmer state of mind. Redressing herself in Illia's beautiful dress, she re-entered the main living space of the house and bowed graciously.

'I thank you, and I hope you can accept this as a small token of my gratitude.' Zelda rummaged about her person, and produced a beautiful shining golden key, she pressed the warm metal into the palm of Illia's hand and smiled radiantly.

It was amazing to see what a good long soak in the tub can do to a person. Illia looked down confusedly at the item in her fingers, turning it over and over, admiring the way it shone in the light. She removed a chain from her neck, discarded an ornament that already hung upon its shining links, and replaced it with her new charm. She lifted her head to thank the beautiful woman for her gift, but without explaining what the key unlocked, she had gone, leaving no tokens of her presence in her wake. Except for the striking gift, it was almost as if she had never been inside the house at all.

* * *

><p>Link had slipped into unconsciousness, his chest rising and falling weakly and increasingly slowly, his eyes flickering to and fro under his closed eyelids, dreaming of a foreign time and place. Navi sat crossed legged upon his pale cheek, her little wings drooping slightly. She had spent the last half an hour flittering and swarming over his face trying to re-awake the swordsman, slapping him with her miniscule hands and yelling loudly in his ears. But onwards Link slept. His skin had become cold to the touch, the scarlet still blossoming over his tunic like stinging fingers of red, and his heart beating slower by the second. The small fairy had flittered down to the height of his resting hand, and slipped her little one in his.<p>

And on the two sat, hand in hand, as the sunset began to ink its golden tints over the pale canvas of a sky, and the first smattering of stars began to take hold as the darkness of the night drew closer. The green clad swordsman watched the world change through closed eyes, his skin slowly turning a silvery shade of white, his beautiful innocent face seemingly drawing further and further inside itself, betraying no emotion, like a sculpture carved of marble. The blue orb closed her tired eyes, and buried her head into Link's lifeless palm, her wings folding tightly into her back like that of a butterfly's, her tiny little limbs shaking with emotion.

They watched together in their slumber, as the citizens of Hyrule Castle Town tucked themselves and their children snug in their beds, not knowing of the two almost lifeless figures on the deck, just sheltered from the freezing pouring rain by a thin sheet of fabric above their heads. All around them the mist that follows rain gathered, the whiteness of the clouds matching that of the man's complexion, making a scene fit for a painting. They seemed so pathetic, the once mighty warrior and the once brave, bold fairy laying lifeless upon the sodden, rotting wood, with no one left to help them.

His blood swirled and collected in the floodwater below, a constant stream of life fading from his body so fast, a young life dissipating into the night air, such a waste.

And as the night drew on, his limbs grew ever, ever weaker.

* * *

><p>He could have been sleeping. His eyes shut to the night of the world perhaps, no one would have known, that this youth, so full of potential, had laid his rest, to a wound caused by a princess so long ago.<p>

And that Princess lay at his side, her milky white fingers gently caressing the gentle folds in his face, until the dry dusty creak of the wooden lid clicked into place. And he was lowered, further and further into the ground, the gold gilding on his ornate oak outer shell shining and reflecting the early morning sunlight.

It was a sombre affair, a quiet affair, with the minimum of guests. The resistance stood with their solemn heads bowed, the rain dripping through their hair, disguising their tears. The only person no one seemed to know was the stranger who had kneeled at his side, a dark hood covering her head and face. She had whispered a few words of farewell, her voice sounding flat and devoid of emotion, her hand resting gently upon his cheek. When he had been buried, she had cried openly, droplets of crystalline water dripping from within the deep folds of her robes. And she had whispered something that no one quite understood, she had whispered to the wind, her voice a quiet and low murmur. 'I am sorry. Sorry for the wound cast so long ago, that was re-awakened with a bout of anger. It was coming to you someday, and I realise now, that this is my downfall. I wish you farewell, dear Link.'

And Zelda had stood up, wiping the water from within her eyes, and after laying a single white rose upon his headstone, she had turned and glided away, the stranger that seemed to familiar casting herself deep within the newly sown sunrise, and disappearing into the pouring rain.

A deep sadness washed over the princess, her head hanging loosely upon her shoulders, her hands swinging limply by her tired thighs. It was never easy to say goodbye to a friend, and this friend she had almost perceived as her family. If only she could have tried harder, to keep him safe, to have stopped him going out that fateful day of his capture, to have never fallen from her throne herself, which if she thought hard about it, she realised she had resulted in his death.

It was true, she had cast the fatal blow all those years ago that ended his life, in a sword fighting accident during practice. He had screamed, only for his cry to cut out mid call, his delicate fingers flying to his neck and clutching it in agony, the redness dripping over his fingers and into the powdery training sand beneath his knees. Zelda had nursed him, dressing his wound in silvery sheets of the finest scented silk, carefully sewing the stitches that were to extended his life.

But he never fully recovered. He found that he could not speak without experiencing intense pain, and had resorted to sounding his voice with only words of single syllables, such as 'ha' as he swung his blade through the air. And the guilt she had felt had never ceased, the lead weight resting like a dreaded coat upon her shoulders, refusing to budge to even the slightest of apologies or acts of forgiveness, gently dulling over time, but still there, an aching burden in her heart.

And now all those feelings from years ago were re-awakened, but only a thousand times worse, the weight of his ending screaming a constant squeal of pain in her ear, never cutting her a break. She would never feel the same again.

She walked through the rain, throwing off her over clothing, depositing her fine dress in a gutter, choosing to walk in the early dark hours of the morning n just a simple linen gown, her feet bare and stepping lightly in the filthy, grimy dark water. Her hair stuck to her body with the sheer volume of the rain, her skin turning a pale aqua with the cold. She never experienced a shiver, not one, as her body temperature dropped, she never seemed to notice, she just kept placing one foot in front of another, not knowing where she was going, not caring who saw her.

For she was dead in her own eyes.

The morning light didn't seem as bright as it should be. The sunset not welcoming, not cheering, not a wanted sight. Zelda wished the world to stay dark forever, so she could sleep for eternity, to not have to walk these lonely deserted streets dreaming of old places and times.

And her walking had led her once more to the castle.

Weaponless, defenceless, useless, she had stepped into the entrance hall, her sodden feet leaving dark, silty footprints in her wake. And she had walked into he centre of the once grand hall, and cried. Sinking to her knees and holding her soaked hair in her hands, her fingernails digging harshly into her scalp. And how she had wailed, her cries and sobs reverberating off the walls, echoing for what seemed like eternity in her mind. Then she had rose to her feet, and let out an ear-piercing scream.

A cry of a challenge, a duel.

A duel to the death.


End file.
